Sinn Féin - On Your Side

EU should suspend preferrential trade with Israel following latest killings and destruction of Palestinian homes

Sinn Féin spokesperson on International Affairs Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD has
called on the Minister for Foreign Affairs to leave the Israeli Government
in no doubt as to the opposition of Ireland and the other EU member states
to that country's latest criminal activities by moving to suspend
preferrential trade between the EU and Israel.

Deputy Ó Snodaigh said: "The activities of the Israeli Army and Government
are nothing short of war crimes against a civilian population. It is
absolutely unacceptable for the European Union to meekly sit on its hands as
the destruction of Palestinian homes and lives continues unabated. It is an
outrage that the EU continues a preferrential trade relationship with Israel
under these circumstances.

"It is clear that Israeli is immune to both criticism and pleadings for
restraint. It is not good enough anymore to tolerate this type of activity
with mild rebukes. The Israeli Government needs to be sent a very clear
message that their actions will not be tolerated by the European Union. If
ever there was a time for the EU member states to use peaceful leverage in
the service of human rights it is now.

"In these last hours of the Irish EU Presidency the Irish Government has a
crucial role to play. The Sharon Government must be made to pay a price for
their crimes. At the very, very least, preferrential EU trade with Israel
must end immediately. The EU must invoke Articles 2 and 79 of the EU-Israel
Association Agreement that makes preferrential trade dependent on respect
for human rights."ENDS